Carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles



I M. l. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR .soamss, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES FiledMarch so, 1949 I Jan. 3-0, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

Jan. 30, 1951 M. l. WILLIAMSON 2,540,057

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed Maich 30, 1949 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

1951 M. l. W|L LIAMSON 2,540,067

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, ems 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES Filed March so, 1949 5Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. ha. UM .5 m

Jan. 30, 1951 M. WILLIAMSON CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS OR SIMILARARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 30, 1949 INVENTOR.

Mir-WW v M. I. WILLIAMSON 2,540,067

CARRIER FOR BOTTLES, CANS 0R SIMILAR ARTICLES FiTed March 50, 1949 5Sheets-Sheet 5 I Anni INVEN TOR.

commonly established types of machines.

Patented Jan. 30, 1951 CLES Marshall I. Williamson, New Haven, Conn.,as-

signor to National Folding Box Company, Inc., New Haven, Conn., acorporation of Connecticut Application March 30, 1949, Serial No. 84,339

9 Claims. (01. 224-45) This invention relates to improvements incarriers made from foldable sheet material, for example, paperboard, forpackaging a plurality of bottles, cans, jars, or similar articles as aunit which may easily be ,carried by the consumer and which, inaddition, provides protection for the packaged articles.

In the mass packaging in carriers of goods contained in bottles, cans.and jars, it is essential that the carrier is suited for handling onexisting Taking a bottle carrier as a specific example, it is necessaryfor a carrier, in order to be commercially acceptable, that it can 'beloaded on the machines which are in established use for loading casespartitioned for individual bottles, so that such cases, as well as casesdesigned to contain carriers may interchangeably be loaded by the samemachine.

A modern bottle carrier should desirably be so constructed that it canbe produced and shipped by a paper box manufacturer to the bottler orpacker in flat, collapsed condition, that it be suited for erection intohollow carrier form by hand or on relatively simple and inexpensivemachinery, and that the carrier after erection will tion of elementshereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the characteristic features of the invention which are believedto be novel will be particularly pointed out in the claims appendedhereto, the invention itself, its objects and advantages, and the mannerin which it may be carried out may be better understood by referringto'the description which follows taken in connection withtheaccompanying drawings forming a part of it in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a flat blank from which a carrier bodyembodying the present invention may be made;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the blank shown in Figure 1 after an initialfolding operation, gluing at this stage being optional;

Figure 3 is a' perspective view of the blank shown in Figure 2 in theprocess of formation 2 of its cellular top structure;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the formed carrier body viewed upsidedown to show its bottom construction;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a wire handle for use in connection with thecarrier of Figure 4;

remain in erected position without a tendency to recollapse or distort.This feature is important for the bottler since it facilitates handlingof the erected empty carrier and its loading at the bottling plant, andit is important for the consumer, who removes filled bottles and insertsempty ones, either one by one or all at one time, and who should not beexpected to re-erect a partially or entirely collapsed carrier.

There are other features which are desirable, for example, the abilityof the carrier safely to support a partial or unequal load, for example,two or three bottles on one side of a central handle and none on theother without danger of dumping the bottles when the carrier is liftedup. Various other features and desirable points will be mentioned as thedescription proceeds.

The invention provides a carrier for bottles, jars, cans and similararticles which meets the specifications heretofore set forth and, inaddition, provides numerous other features which make the carrierdesirable for the trade.

The various features, objects and advantages of the invention willappear more fully from the detailed description which followsaccompanied by drawings showing, for the purpose of illustra tion, apreferred embodiment of the invention. The invention also consists incertain new and original features ofconstruction and combinaset apart byfold or crease lines.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the carrier of Figure 4 turned rightside up in the process of insertion of the wire handle;

a Figure 7 shows the carrier of Figure 6 with the wire handle fullyinserted, the carrier being ready for loading; and

Figure 8 is an end view of the carrier of Figure 7 loaded with bottles.

In the following description and in the claims various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience. The names, however, areintended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.Corresponding reference characters refer to corresponding parts in theseveral figures of the drawings.

The blank A shown'in Figure 1 may be cut and scored in multiple fromlarge rolls or sheetsof foldable sheet material, for example,paperboard, on automatic cutting and scoring machines. The blank isshown with its unfinished back side facing the observer.

The several constituent parts of the blank are The blank comprises acenter panel II, a bottom panel I2, an outer side wall panel ill, a toppanel I, a furthere outer side wall panel IS, a further bottom panel 16and a further center panel ll. These panels are hingedly interconnectedalong fold lines l8, i9, 20, 2|, 22, and 23. Auxiliary fold lines 24 and25 may extend across the bottom panels I2 and I5, respectively. to permt convenient folding of the blank and collapsing of the glued blank intofiat condition, as will later appear.

Glue flaps 26 and 21 are hingedly connected to the center panels II andI1 along fold lines 26 and 29, respectively. Recesses 36 of somewhatcomplex configuration are cut into the end of the blank at which theglue flaps 26 lie. All waste material cut from the blank is convenientlyremovable from the edge of the blank by a stripping operation. The cuts36 form points 3| on the blank which serve to hold apart the piles ofthe double thickness webs during assembly of the carrier, as will laterappear. There are, in. addition, tongues 32 which assist in the assemblyand retention of a wire handle in the carrier body. There are furtherrelatively large cut away portions 33 permitting insertion of the bottomportion of the handle, and finally there is a pair of smaller recesses34 to accommodate the legs of the handle to be combined with the carrierbody. All of these functions will become apparent from the descriptionof the assembly of the carrier which follows the description of theblank.

At the other end of the blank a pair of similar recesses 35 is found.These recesses are somewhat simpler in configuration and comprise smallcut away portions 34 registering in the assembled carrier with therecesses 34 for guiding the wire handle as will later appear.

.Pairs of lock flaps 36 and 31 are cut from the stock of the panels II,I2, and I6, II, respectively. These look flaps are foldable about hingeline 38 and 39 extending substantially at right angles with respect tothe transverse fold lines [6 and 23. The hinge lines 39, preferably arespaced apart slightly wider than the hinge lines 36 to facilitatefolding of the lock flaps one on top of the other in the assembledcarrier. The difference in spacing is preferably equal to twice thethickness of the blank. The lock flaps 36 and 61 have peripheral notches46 and 4| lying approximately in line with the fold lines I6 and 26.These notches serve to engage the erected center panels in the assembledcarrier, as will become apparent from the description dealing with theassembly of the blank.

The center portion of the fold lines I6 and 23 terminates short of thefold lines 66 and 66 and arcuate cuts 42 and 43 extend from the ends ofthe central portions of the fold lines I6 and 23 to the hinge lines 38and 39 and form extension tabs 44 and 45 on the bottom panels I2.

The top panel I4 and adjoining portions of the side wall panels I3 andI5 are cut and scored to provide a cellular web structure. Cuts 46, 41,and 48 extend normal to fold lines 26 and 2|. These cuts separate thestock into webs 49. 66. 6| and 52, which, after appropriate folding formarticle receiving cells, as will later appear. The

webs are foldable at a plurality of fold lines.

These fold lines include diagonal or oblique fold diagonal fold linesas, so. 6|, :2, es and u extend from the other ends of the cuts 46, 41and 46 to the transverse fold line 2| and preferably include between oneanother the same angles as the fold lines 53, 54, 55, 56, 51 and 56.

The webs 4s and s2 constitute terminal webs,

' since they lie at the outer edges of the blank.

The webs 66 and 6| constitute intermediate webs. These intermediate webscomprise ridge fold lines 65 and 66 to provide for double thickness ofthe intermediate webs by folding of the stock back upon itself along theridge fold lines as will later appear.

Apertures 61 and 66 are cut at the center of the web panels 50 and 5|for insertion of a portion of the handle therethrough as will laterbecome apparent. I

The assembly of a carrier body from the blank A may proceed as follows:

As a first operation, adhesive a is applied to the finished surface ofthe glue flaps 26 and adhesive may also be applied to the unfinishedsurface of the flaps 21, the latter application being optional. In theposition in which the blank is shown in Figure 1 adhesive would beapplied to the under surface of flaps 26 and to the top surface of flaps21 facing the observer. The adhesive may be conventional glue or may bea heat scalable plastic o other bonding agent.

The blank is then folded about the collapsing creases 24 and 25 to bringthe flaps 26 into engagement with the center panel I1 and to bring theflaps 21 into engagement with the center panel II. In the event glue isused, the bonding is completed at this time. In the event athermoplastic adhesive is employed the actual bonding of the blankportions may be deferred until after the setting 'up of the-carrierbody.

The folded blank is shown in Figure 2. It constitutes a fiat collapsedtubular structure a which is ready forsetting up as a hollow carrierbody. Tubular blanks A may be stored and shipped to the user in fiatcondition. They require a minimum of space and may be set up into hollowcarrier form by performance of a few folding and assembly operationswhich may be carried out at the plant of the packer or bottler. Theseassembly operations will now be described.

The blank A is first expanded into hollow shape and, preferablysimultaneously, the top panel I4 is converted into a cellular webstructure. This may be done in a variety of ways, either manually,semi-automatically, or fully automatically. Figure 3 illustrates twosubstantially vertically movable plungers 69 and III which extendthrough the apertures formed by the cuts 66 and 35 and engage the toppanel along the ridge fold lines 65 and 66. The surface on which theblank rests is preferably provided with three wedge-shaped projectionswhich engage the blank along the cuts 46, 41' and 48 tending to open upthe cuts under the pressure of the plungers as shown in Figure 3. Thewedges are not shownin the drawing since they would partially obscurethe intermediate v' bs 50 and 5|. As the webs 59, 5| and 52 are fc.dedinto roof shape as shown in Figure 3 the s...e walls I3 and I5automatically begin to erect themselves by reason of the connection ofthe webs to the side walls along the zig-zag shaped end fold lines 53 to64.

By hand or by mechanical means the side walls I3 and Il may now befolded into upright position with respect to the top structure. Thiscauses the webs 49 to 52 to continue folding into the final shape whichthey assume in the completed body illustrated in Figures 6 and 7.

During the forming and folding of the top and side portions of thecarrier body, the center panels I I and. I1 are infolded by bending theblank along the fold lines 26 and 29 which are in substantialcoincidence. As the bottom panels I2 and I6 move into final position,the center panels H and I1 assume a back-to-back position and the ridge.28 of the center structure enters between the webs 48, 58, 5| and 82.

Referring for a moment to Figure 6, it will be seen that the webs 48 and52 form straps of single thickness connecting the side walls i3 and I5.These straps extend past the outer edges of the center panels H, II. IThe intermediate webs 58 and 5| forming double thickness strapsconnecting the side walls 13 and I5 extendthrough the recesses in thecenter panels formed by the cuts 38 and 35. It is apparent that thepoints 3| within the recesses 38 enter between the two thicknesses ofthe intermediate webs 58 and 5|, tending to hold them apart slightly atthe bottom edges.

Returning now to Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that the extensiontabs 44 and 45 remain in the plane of the bottom panels I2 and it. Theseextension panels overlap, as is apparent ,from Figure 4 and also fromFigure 8 showing the finished carrier body in side view.

The lock flaps 85 and 31 may then be folded upright with respect to thebottom panels i2 and I6 about their respective fold lines 38 and 39.This causes the peripheral notches 40 and 4| to slide along the arcuatecut edges 42 and 43, thus locking the two center panels II and 11together when the lock flaps 38 and 31 assume an upright position withrespect to the bottom panels.

In erected position the lock flaps 36 and 3! lie in the same plane asthe intermediate webs 58 and 5| and serve, in addition to their functionas locking means, as a separator between the bottoms of bottles insertedinto the carrier body to prevent glass-to-glass contact between thebotties. Locking of the center panels H and H by the lock flaps 36 and31 completes the setting up operation of the carrier which now appearsas shown in Figures 4 and 5 and is ready for installation of a handle.

In the event the glue flaps 28 and 21 were not yet adhesively secured tothe respective center panels I! and I, as might be the case it athermoplastic adhesive is used, the bond may now be completed byapplication of heat and pressure to either'side of the top portion ofthe center walls H, H at, and slightly below, the top fold line 28 ofthe center wall.

In the completed carrier body A'" each of the webs 49, 58, 5| and 52 isseen to comprise two substantially triangular end portions which arefolded back against the side walls I: and I5, respectively from whichthey were formed. These end portions lie on the inside of the cells andassist, in combination with the slightly downwardly and inwardly flaringintermediate webs 58 and 5|, in guiding bottles, cans, or jars intoseating position within the cells, much in the manner of a funnel.

The webs extend at right angles with respect to the side walls I3 andI5. The outermost webs 49 and 52 are of single thickness and theintermediate webs 58 and 5| are of double thickness since the latterwebs are formed by folding the stock back upon itself along the ridgefold lines 85 and. 66. In assembled position the handle apertures 61 and88 lie at the points of intersection of the intermediate webs with thecenter wall H, H.

A suitable i'orm of handle for the carrier is shown in Figure 5. The.handle 1| comprises a central grip portion 12 from which a pair of shankportions 18 and 14 extend downwardly. The shank portions 13 and 14 maybe offset at 15 and 18 to form an upper pair of shoulders adapted torest on the ridge 28 or the center wall vof the carrier for purpose oflimiting the downward movement of the handle. A pair of substantiallyhorizontal lower shoulder portions 11 and 18 extend outwardly. Theselower shoulder portions serve to engage the carrier at the fold line 29.End portions 19 and 88 extend from the shoulder portions H and I8 firstdownwardly and then inwardly andupwardly to lie substantially parallelto the shank portions 13 and 14. The ends 8| and 82 of the wirepreferably, but not necessarily, extend a slight distance above theupper shoulders 15 and 16. All t e portions of the handle preferably liein the same plane.

The handle II is assembledwith the carrier body by inserting itslowermost triangular portions to either side of the intermediate webs 58and 5| into the apertures produced by the cuts 30. For insertion thehandle is held slightly at an angle with respect to the center wall II,II. The bottom end of the handle slides easily into the space betweenthe center walls II and H due to the relatively large apertures 33 cutinto the center panel IT. The tongues 32 assist in the insertion sincethey lie approximately in line with the inner upwardly extending endportions 19 and 88 of the handle. The handle is depressed until itsupper ends BI and 82 move underneath the bottom edges of the webs 58 and5|. At this moment the ends 8| and 82 of the handle wire move slightlytowards each other by spring action and enter the space between the twoplies of the webs 58 and 5| as the handle is being pulled upwardly. Theends 8| and 82 engage the apertures 68 and 61, respectively, in theintermediate webs and thus fix the center wall H, I! with respect to thewebs 49-, 58, 51 and 52.

As it is apparent from Figure 5 that the shanks 13 and 14 of the handleflare slightly downwardly and outwardly. This causes the shanks to bespaced a shorter distance immediately below the upper shoulders 75 andI6 than they are immediately above the lower shoulders 11 and 18. Thispeculiarity of shape causes the shanks '13 and 14 to engage the recesses34 in the center portion when the handle is fully depressed, .so that,as the handle is pulled up, the shanks are guided between the centerwalls I and H by these recesses 34.

The. body of the completed carrier is quite rigid and will notrecollapse. Resistance to recollapsing is a very desirable feature,since it causes the cells of the carrier to remain properly squared atall times without external restraint.

The dimensions of the handle Ii are so se- 80 lected that the handle canbe depressed be ow the tops of the bottles. This is illustrated inFigures 7 and 8. In Figure 7 the handle is shown in solid lines inextended position and in dash-dot lines in depressed position. In Figure8 the handleis 86 shown in solid lines in depressed position and in ontop of the other. It is a practice customary in the beverage industry tostack the carriers so that the bottom of the top-most carrier rests onthe tops of the bottles of the carrier underneath.

It is easily apparent that the carrier shown in Figure 7 has greatrigidity and strength'end that Its construction permits safe carrying ofuneven loads. Fcr example,.three bottles or less may be carried on oneside and none on the other without danger of distortion of the carrierand resultant dumping ofthe bottles. Shifting of the side walls l3 andI5 with their connecting webs 49, 50, 5| and 52 relatively to the centerwall H, I! is prevented by the engagement of the handle and portionswith the apertures 61 and 68 in the webs 50 and 5|.

Referring nw.to Figure 8, it is seen that the carrier body engages thebottles underneath the neck portion of the bottles, approximately at thearea of greatest diameter, whereby the bottles of adjacent carriers, aswell as the bottles within each carrier, are protected againstglass-to-glass contact. The center wall H, II spaces the two rows ofbottles from each other. The webs 50 and at the top and the lock flaps36 and 31 at the bottom separate the bottles within each row.

Experience has indicated the desirability of making the center wall [1slightly taller than the side walls I3 and I5. Also it is advantageousto make the top structure somewhat narrower than the combined widths ofthe bottom panels |2, Hi. This unequality in the dimensions of thepanels requires the present of the auxiliary collapsing creases 24 and25, since obviously the tubular blank could not be folded flat withcreases 28 and 29 in register if the collapsing creases 24 and 25 wereabsent.

When bottles, jars, or cans are loaded into the carrier the bottomcreases '22 and I9 are broken automatically, since the distance betweenthe fold lines 24 and I8 as well as the distance between the fold lines25 and 23 is not suiiicient to accommodate the bottoms of the bottles.The bottles, therefore, automatically cause the blank to crease at thebottom fold lines |9 and 22 when the bottles are dropped into thecarrier.

When the carrier is lifted up by the handle its center wall H, I! movesslightly upwardly until the bottom edges of the intermediate webs 50 and5| come to rest in the bottoms of the cut away portions 30 and 35.Referring briefly to Figure 1 the apex 83 of the cut-55 and the twoapexes 84 to either side of the points 3| provide support for the loweredges of the intermediate webs 50 and 5|. Since the intermediate websextend in a substantially vertical plane and are of substantial widththey act as supporting beams for the outer side walls l3 and I5 and aidin supporting a portion of the load carried by the outer side walls.

In order to provide forgreater strength at the point where the webs meetthe side walls it is preferable to score the board by a singlecontinuous curved scoring rule at the points where the fold lines 54,55, 55, 51 meet the fold line 20 and at the points where the fold lines50, GI, 62 and 63 meet the fold line 2|. This causes the board to curveat a rounded peak rather than to break at a point, whereby the strengthof the carrier at the junction of the webs with the side walls ismaterially increased. The rounded scores produced by the curved scoringknives are indicated in Figure 1 at 85, 85, 51 and 88.

The invention thus provides a sturdy and eflicient carrier for bottles,cans, jars and other forms of merchandise. The carrier is attractive andrequires a minimum of stock. Its folding and setting up operations arerelatively simple and its strength is great, so that it will serve anumber of round trips between the bottling plant and the consumer. Thecarrier is very resistant to distortion and lends itself admirably toautomatic loading on established types of loading machinery now in usefor loading partitioned wooden and metal cases.

What is claimed is:

1. A carrier for a plurality of bottles, cans, or

similar articles arranged in two rows, the carrier consisting offoldable sheet material creased alon fold lines setting apart theseveral constituent parts of the carrier, the carrier comprising, a pairof outer side wall panels; a center partition panel; a bottom connectedto said side wall panels and said partition panel; and a cellular topstructure dividing the space between the partition panel and the sidewall panels into individual article receiving cells, said top structurecomprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending atsubstantially right angles to the side wall. panels from one side wallpanel to the other, and transverse to, said partition, said webshingedly extending from said side wall panels along diagonal fold lines,the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wallpanels along said diagonal fold lines, said top structure includingterminal webs lying at the ends of the structure and intermediate webslying between the terminal webs, the intermediate webs being of doublethickness, the two thicknesses being folded back-to-back about a creaseline forming the ridge of the web.

2. A cellular carton for a plurality of bottles, cans, or other articlesarranged in two rows, the carton consisting of foldable sheet materialcreased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts ofthe carton, the carton comprising, a pair of outer side wall panels; apair of center panels lying back-to-back and forming a two-ply partitionbetween the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly extendingfrom said side wall panels and from said center panels, respectively;and a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of thecenter panels into individual article receiving cells. said topstructure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels andextending at substantially right angles to the side wall panels from oneside wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, said centerpanels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along fold lines,the endmost webs being of single-ply thickness, the intermediate websbeing of double-ply thickness, all webs being of length' substantiallyequal to the distance between said side wall panels, whereby the samewebs form cells on either side of said partition, the webs of doublethickness being formed of stock folded backto-back about a crease lineforming the ridge of the double thickness webs.

3. A cellular carton for a plurality of bottles, cans, or other articlesarranged in two rows, the carton consisting of foldable sheet materialcreased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts ofthe carton, the carton comprising, a pair of outer side wall panels; apair of center panels lying backeto-back and forming a two-ply partitionbetween the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedly extendingfrom said side wall panels and from said center panels. respectively;and a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of thecenter panels into individual article receiving cells, said topstructure comprising webs integral with said side wall panels andextending at substanll tially right angles to the side wall panels fromone side wall panel to the other and transverse to, and across, saidcenter panels, said webs extending from said side wall panels along foldlines, the endmost webs being of single-ply thickness, the intermediatewebs being of double-ply thickness, all webs being of a lengthsubstantially equal to the distance between said side wall panels,whereby the same webs form cells on either side of said partition, thewebs of double thickness being formed of stock folded back-to" backabout a crease line forming the ridge of the double thickness webs, saidtwo-ply partition having notches extending into it from its top edgethrough which notches said intermediate webs extend.

4. A carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles arranged in tworows, the carrier consisting of a single blank of foldable sheetmaterial creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituentparts of the carrier, the ends of the blank being attached together sothat the blank is of tubular construction, the constituent parts of thecarrier comprising a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of centerpanels folded back-toback about a top fold line, said center panelsforming a partition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottompanels hingedly connected to said side wall panels and said centerpanels, respectively; and cellular top structure dividing the spaced toeither side of the center panels into individual article receivingcells, said top structure comprising webs integral with said side wallpanels and extending at substantially right angles to the side wallpanels from one side wall panel to the other and transverse to, andacross, said center panels, said webs extending from said side wallpanels along diagonal fold lines, the end portions of the webs beingfolded back upon said side wall panels along said diagonal fold lines,said webs having a central portion intermediate said end portions, thecentral portion being of a length substantially equal to the distancebetween said side wall panels, whereby the same webs form cells oneither side of said partition, said center panels having notchesextending into them from the top fold line in line with certain of saidwebs, said certain webs extending through said notches.

5. A carrier as set forth in claim 4 in which the blank is provided withterminal glue flaps hingedly extending from one center panel along saidtop fold line, foldable over and adhesively securable to the othercenter panel.

6. A carrier for bottles, cans; or similar articles arranged in tworows, the carrier consistin of a single blank of foldable sheet materialcreased along fold lines setting apart the several constituent parts ofthe carrier, the ends of the blank being attached together so that theblank is of tubular construction,- the constituent parts of the carriercomprising a pair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panelsfolded back-toback about a top fold line, said center panels forming apartition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedlyconnected to said side wall panels and said center panels, respectively;a cellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the centerpanels into individual article receiving cells, said top structurecomprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending atsubstantially right angles to the side wall panels from one side wallpanel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels,said webs extending from said side wall panels along diagonal foldlines.

the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said side wallpanels along said diagonal fold lines, said webs having a centralportion intermediate said end portions, the central portion being of alength substantially equal to the distance between said side wallpanels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of saidpartition, said webs including terminal webs lying at the ends of thestructure and intermediate webs lying between the terminal webs, theintermediate webs being of double thickness, the two thicknesses beingfolded back about a crease line forming the ridge of the web, saidcenter panels having notches extending into them from the top fold linein line with said intermediate webs, said intermediate, webs extendingthrough said notches, certain of said intermediate webs having handleengagingapertures in the ridge at the point of intersection with saidcenter panel; and a wire handle comprising a central handle portion fromwhich two legs depend, the legs including substantially horizontalshoulder portions supporting the carrier at the intermediate webs andupwardly extending end portions extending through said ridge aperturesand centering said center panels with respect to said outer side walls.7

'I. A carrier for bottles, cans, or similar articles arranged in tworows, the carrier consisting of a single blank of foldable sheetmaterial creased along fold lines setting apart the several constituentparts of the carrier, the constituent parts of the carrier comprising apair of outer side wall panels; a pair of center panels foldedback-toback about a top fold line, said center panels forming apartition between the side wall panels; a pair of bottom panels hingedlyconnected to said side wall panels and said center panels, respectivelyalong inner bottom fold lines, a lock flap being cut out from the stockof at least one bottom panel and the center panel integral therewith,said lock flap being hingedly connected to the remainder of said lastnamed center panel and of said last named bottom panel along a fold linesubstantially normal to said bottom fold lines, said lock flap having anotch in itsouter edge adapted to engage the two thicknesses of thecenter panels within it to lock said center panel together when saidlock flap is folded upright with respect to the bottom panels; and acellular top structure dividing the space to either side of the centerpanels into individual article receiving cells, said top structurecomprising webs integral with said side wall panels and extending atsubstantially right angles to the side wall panels from one sidewallpanel to the other and transverse to, and across, said center panels,said webs extending from said side wall panels along diagonal foldlines, the end portions of the webs being folded back upon said sidewall panels along said diagonal fold lines, said webs having a centralportion intermediate .said end portions, the central portion being of alength substantially equal to the distance between said side wallpanels, whereby the same webs form cells on either side of saidpartition.

8. A bottle carrier blank cut and creased to provide a plurality ofpanels set apart by parallel crease lines and comprising from one end ofthe blank to the other, a center panel, a bottom panel, a sidewallpanel, a top panel, a further side panel, a further bottom panel, and afurther center panel, the width of the top panel measured between itsbordering crease lines being substantially equal to the added width ofthe bottom panels, the top me! having a plurality of parallel cutsthrough it normal to said crease lines to provide web forming strips,said cuts extending beyond the body of thetop panel into the body ofthe-adjoining side wall panels, said side wall 5 panels having obliquetold lines extending from the ends of the cuts to the crease linesbordering said top panel.

9. A bottle carrier blank as set forth in'claim 8 in which, in additionterminal securing flaps are 7 prointegral with, and hingedly connectedto, the ends of the center panels about fold lines paralleltosaidcreaselines,saidsecuringflapsbeingattechable to the center panelswith which they are not integral to provide a tubular blankstructure. VMARSHALL I. WIILIAMSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Nurnber Lowey et a1 July 25, 1944

